A nine-day-old baby reported missing from a Bellville shopping complex has been found safe, thanks to swift action by a specialised SAPS crime-combating team, Cape town Etc reports.
Police confirmed that a 37-year-old woman was arrested on Monday, 30 June 2025, at a residence in Honolulu Street, Tafelsig, in connection with the kidnapping. The suspect is currently in custody and is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate's Court soon.
The dramatic recovery followed a multi-agency investigation led by the Provincial Organised Crime: Anti-Kidnapping Investigation Unit, supported by Crime Intelligence and the Bellville Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit. The team acted quickly after the childs mother registered a kidnapping case with Bellville SAPS on Saturday, 28 June 2025.
According to police, the mother had been at a local shopping centre in Bellville when she suddenly felt nauseous. She asked a woman who had been accompanying her to watch the baby while she went to the bathroom. When she returned, both the woman and her infant had vanished.
Using an analytical and intelligence-driven approach, the joint task team tracked down the suspect within 48 hours of the report. Their efforts led them to the Tafelsig address, where the baby was found unharmed.